


suddenly becoming ethereal

by TranslatorError



Series: Aiballshipping Week 2021 [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Aiballshipping Week, Fluff, M/M, no spoilers surprisingly, yusaku and ai watch a playmaker documentary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29909808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TranslatorError/pseuds/TranslatorError
Summary: //No spoilers. Ambiguous time during/post canon.Downtime without peace is meaningless. Like qualia, he relives his days with lingering migraines pushing through the nostalgia. Today, they are furled on the couch, digital escapades forgotten to TV static. Tomorrow would be different.Written for Day 3 of Aiball Week: Movie Night.
Relationships: Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku
Series: Aiballshipping Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2197494
Kudos: 7





	suddenly becoming ethereal

Downtime without peace is meaningless. Like qualia, he relives his days with lingering migraines pushing through the nostalgia. Today, they are furled on the couch, digital escapades forgotten to TV static. Tomorrow would be different.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do we have to watch it?" Yusaku groused, slumping further into the sofa. He had his hands wrapped around a bowl of popcorn, steadying it so the contents wouldn't spill everywhere when Ai sat down. This wasn't the brightest idea his partner has had.

Fiddling with the TV settings, Ai turned to Yusaku with determination set in his expression. "Of course! Don't tell me you're not curious who they interview. Imagine they ask Revolver for a statement!" 

"You think he would give a press conference about Playmaker?"

"Well," Ai considered the question, "Not really. But you don't know who they asked! They might have even asked for yours truly to feature!"

Yusaku shut that thought down with a sharp look. "If they asked for you, I wouldn't have heard the end of it."

"Bzzt! Wrong! I'm excellent at keeping secrets. You just don't want to believe in my prowess outside of dueling."

Neglecting to comment on Ai's penchant for the dramatics, Yusaku focused his attention on the still buffering video in front of them. In bold impact font the title crawl read 'The Hero of VRAINS: Playmaker's story,' causing him to regret giving Ai full license of the TV. He hadn't thought much of it at the time; it wasn't like Yusaku was using the old box, and Ai seemed to love learning about human culture through the programmes that aired. Yet there was something uncanny about watching a documentary about yourself that left him wishing he ditched the TV before Ai could get attached. His Ignis even told him the thing was part of the family, a little brother they couldn't ever replace.

Ai, picking up on the extended silence, left the buttons alone and dropped down onto a couch cushion with the grace of a toddler learning to walk. "It won't be too bad, Ai promise. I won't tell a soul if they've done you poorly."

"Be quiet. It's starting."

Far away footage of Playmaker dueling lit up the room, unfocused and poorly colour corrected. Sounds of squabbling blared from the speaker. Whoever was responsible for editing the documentary had clearly forgot to trim the arguments cameramen were having. Something about the poor shot not meeting the pay grade? Yusaku couldn't make out what exactly they were saying.

A narrator's voice played over the footage, thankfully silencing the bickering camera crew. "Ever since VRAINS' inception, heroes have risen and fallen over time, though few have carried the legacy that the fabled Playmaker has."

"Fabled?" Ai questioned, ignoring the sudden jump cut to more in-focus footage. "Does that mean they think you don't actually exist?"

"They're not that gullible."

"You sure? I bet we could make a conspiracy theory about it. Like SOL Tech trying to sell new merchandise by making up their own hero!"

"No one would believe that," Yusaku rolled his eyes. Then, thinking of a particular classmate, retracted his statement. "Don't do that."

"Is the camera rolling? In focus? Good, good!" With a harsh clear of his throat, a bipedal frog walked into frame, microphone in one hand and notes in the other. "Today, on the VRAINS News Network, we bring you the raw, unfiltered interviews from the people who know Playmaker best!"

"Who are we interviewing?" A chipper voice piped up.

"You're not supposed to talk during shots! You're the cameraman, not the interviewer!" The frog bit out, clearly frustrated with his accomplice. 

"Take 3! Today, on the VRAINS News Network, we bring you," He rifled through his notepad quickly, "An interview with a man who claims to be Playmaker's soulmate!"

"I knew this was going to be bad, but wow." Ai looked at Yusaku, second-hand embarassment palpable in his expression. "I guess you have all sorts of fans, huh?"

"Maybe. Wait, did they say-" It couldn't be. Could it?

"I'm Brave Max! The next big hero of VRAINS, and Playmaker's Soulmate!" Dressed in a bulky, overdone mech suit, Yusaku stared face to face with the VRAINS version of his classmate. Still as boisterous and zealous as ever.

In the corner, text trailed across the shot, describing Brave Max as a direct witness to Playmaker's duels. Not quite the 'Soulmate' the frog nor Naoki himself professed, but slightly less embarassing to read.

Ai, meanwhile, was full on cackling at the sight. "Soulmate, he says! Yusaku-chan, how dirty! I thought Ai was the only one for you. Kusanagi wouldn't throw me to the kerb like this!"

Kusanagi would string an advertising board to his disk and use him for free marketing, but Yusaku wasn't about to incite any further discussion into his classmate's infatuation with his alter ego. Ai had enough ammunition as is; Yusaku had no doubts the sob story he'd weave to Takeru following the documentary. He was lucky the production quality was so low - he didn't care to uphold a reputation, but the idea of everyone he knows seeing this? Sends shivers down his spine. Ryoken would be a nightmare to talk to.

Naoki kept speaking, and Ai kept chortling, and Yusaku could only sigh. They were in for a long night.

**Author's Note:**

> title is yet again from another oral cigarettes song - mirror!
> 
> the world needs more saito yamamoto content


End file.
